Kota Kinabalu: A 45-year-old man was fined a total of RM25,000 by the Sessions Court for illegally abstracting electricity and carrying out unauthorised electrical wiring at a business premises.
Mahadi Santa pleaded guilty before Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan to dishonestly abstracting electricity through a direct bypass connection that resulted in Sabah Electricity (SE) being undercharged and suffering financial losses.
He committed the offence at Heritage Trade and Services, Lorong Plaza Utama 1, Alamesra Plaza Utama, along the Sulaman Coastal Highway, at 3pm on July 30, 2025.
Mahadi was fined RM20,000, or six months' jail in default, under Subsection 61(3)(a) of the Electricity Supply Enactment 2024, and a further RM5,000, or three months' jail in default, for installing electrical wiring without SE's written approval.
Sabah Energy Commission prosecuting officer Andryeno Thomas urged a deterrent sentence, saying electricity theft causes financial losses to the licensee, affects honest consumers and undermines the integrity of the electricity supply system.